


Visiting Home

by chancellorxofxtrash (PhoebeMurdivine)



Series: Love Square [4]
Category: Baccano!, 越佐大橋シリーズ | Etsusa Bridge Series (Manga)
Genre: (only mentioned but still tagging to be sure), Father-Son Issues, Father-Son Relationship, Implied Sexual Content, Implied/Referenced Torture, M/M, Polyamory, Silly Boys, as in one couple is totally banging in one scene, naritaverse, no one is communicating in their relationships, someone is getting married, someone is pregnant, what is even my LIFE
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-30
Updated: 2016-06-30
Packaged: 2018-07-19 06:51:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,907
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7350370
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PhoebeMurdivine/pseuds/chancellorxofxtrash
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>There is a wedding in New York, and a reluctant Carlos does end up visiting home. Rethinking his relationships and current events, being swept up in the energy that is the Martillo family, but he is used to it. And his past is still there,  whether he likes it or not. And obviously almost everyone has a comment about his love life.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Visiting Home

**Author's Note:**

> Yes, I had made this a series, to be easier to keep track of the stories following each other.

There was no way Carlos could have went on a commercial fight. There was just simply no way. Good thing one of his boyfriends had a lot of connections, and private planes Carlos could use.

The alternative was of course, that he’d travel without guns.

...hahahaha, right. As if.

Look, he knew the rest of the world wasn’t nearly as fucked up as the island was. He knew. He also knew what a lot of islanders didn’t - that there were beings, possible dangers, against whom his guns would be useless. He knew these things exactly.

But after living on that island for years, he just simply didn’t feel safe without a few guns hidden under his coat, out of everyone’s eyes.

But on a private plane, he could carry as many guns as he pleased. Not to mention it was a very nice plane. He even had some champagne. Sure, it wasn’t really fun drinking it alone, but as he did travel on his own, he didn’t really have any choice, if he wanted to make it in time to the wedding.

Ah yes. He was going to a wedding. All alone.

He sighed, taking a sip of his champagne.

It wasn’t like he _wanted_ to leave the island alone. It’s been a while he left the island. He had a job to do well, and he did it well - really well. He knew he was one of the strongest players in the Guard Team - really, it wasn’t arrogance if they were facts, right? Simple facts.

Not to mention there were other reasons he did not want to leave. Two reasons, actually. But not like he really had a choice. He couldn’t _not_ go. That wasn’t really an option. Or at all. So he just went with it.

Heh. Maybe the alcohol would help him sleep on the plane a bit. It would be a nice change of space - he didn’t think anyone had gotten decent nights of sleep since what happened to the Liverpools.

Or he was just projecting. Yeah, he was definitely projecting. It was him, who didn’t get a decent night of sleep since then. Maybe a few others. Damn. He just didn’t want to feel stupid about worrying, but there was no point to it now was there.

Better to just try to sleep a little.

-

-

Before he left, he did go on a date with Gitarin - pardon, Salix Jonesy Newark Gitarin Nicholls, Count of Oliveto - after his Boss literally dragged him off.

“You need to relax,” he had told him, as he pulled him towards Sado by the hand. “Stressing won’t help matters.”

“You know what else won’t help matters? You leaving the island. This is a horrible idea, Jonesy.”

“Don’t be a worrywart. The others are making sure no one knows I left. And my personal Costner will keep me safe off-island, right?” Gitarin didn’t stop grinning.

There was a fair in a small village, and that’s where they went - they just spent a few hours there all in all. Too many people, they put Carlos to the edge. Of course he was armed - very armed - but there was a difference between being armed on the island and armed on Sado. Not to mention after what happened to Carlos’ other boyfriend recently…

He just didn’t want anything bad to happen to Gitarin as well.

Yeah. That one was sure. Other than that...

“Heyyy Carlos. Look - a shooting arena. Wanna sweep me off my feet?”

He utterly dominated the shooting arena. He was sure the gun was rigged, so he missed the first shot. But one shot - that’s all he needed to figure out how the gun was rigged, so the next shots all hit the intended targets.

So by the time they were walking a back, Gitarin was probably wearing much more plush animals than a grown man should have been carrying.

“Alright. I gotta admit, this one is definitely a score for you.”

“You had seen me shoot before, Jonesy.”

“Ehhhh, you are still very attractive when you do that.”

“You have some weird kinks.”

“You can stop judging me. Got a problem with it?” Gitarin smirked at him, and Carlos couldn’t stop himself from grinning back.

He took Gitarin home, and let himself be pulled into his apartement.

Obviously the place where he lived was very nice, fitting for the ruler of the Eastern District, but this wasn’t the first time Carlos had been there. He had visited previously during his job as well.

All the plush animals fell to the ground.

“I am offended. This is why I troubled myself with that rigged gun?”

Gitarin grinned, grabbing Carlos’ collar, pulling him closer.

“I’m sure I can compensate you.”

That was how Carlos found himself straddling Gitarin on his bed, while his boss was quite busy trying to get rid of all of Carlos’ guns.

“Are you sure you are okay with me leaving though?”

“Hm? Oh, to the wedding. Sure” Gitarin said absentmindedly, undoing the straps on Carlos’ left thigh. “As handsome as you are, I can survive a few days with you not being here, even while dating you, you know. Also, this is why I have a Guard Team, not just a guard. Everyone is gonna be fine.”

 _Are we dating?_ Carlos asked himself, but didn’t dare to voice it. _Are we_ **_really_ ** _dating or is this just a game?_

They never moved over the initial dare, and trying to one-up each other.

And Carlos didn’t dare to ask.

Maybe he was afraid of the answer.

“Goddamnit, Carlos how many guns do you have?!”

It was undoubtedly funny seeing Gitarin’s despair after removing one gun after the other.

“Enough.”

“Enough for a smaller militia, maybe. Even a knife?! You don’t even use knives!”

“You can never be prepared enough.”

“Can you even use one?”

Carlos remembered a camorrista with glasses, an affable smile, and a talent for knives, who would teach him the basics of knife-fighting.

“Yeah. Yeah, I can. If push comes to a shove, I can.”

Gitarin threw the knife away, and just looked over Carlos.

“Right. I think I got all of them.”

Carlos grinned, leaned forward, kissing his boss. That was at least something he was sure of.

“Are you sure, Jonesy?”

“...is that another damned gun in your pocket or are you just happy to see me?”

“...both, actually.”

“...you know what, I give up. Officially give up. You win this time. Just fuck me already, would you?”

As it turned out, taking off Carlos’ clothes took less time than disarming him. Who would have thought.

-

-

There were probably some people who would say that having your back ache because of your Boss’ nails digging into your skin was wildly unprofessional, but the only regrets Carlos had about that was that it was slightly more painful and uncomfortable leaning back on the plane’s seats like that. This is exactly the type of thing that did not bother him at the least in the heat of the moment (understatement of the decade, probably), but later it was kind of… well, uncomfortable. Well, he still managed.

Because of the private nature of the plane and the airport (Gitarin waved it off as one of his old babysitters being filthy rich… Carlos still did not know what to believe from Gitarin and what to doubt), arriving back to the USA went off without a problem. Really, it was lucky Carlos did not have any malicious intent whatsoever.

Gitarin told him he could have gotten a car for him from the same old babysitter, but Carlos decided to get a cab instead. He didn’t want to leech off from Gitarin’s connections, come on. So he just called a cab, and when it arrived, just told them the address.

“Huh. Interesting location. Visiting family?”

Carlos nodded at the driver’s question.

“Sí. Hadn’t been home for a few years or so. But now there’s a wedding. I half think that they decided to get married after all that time spent on dating just to drag me back home.”

He was joking, but honestly, he wouldn’t have been that surprised if the joke turned out to be at least partially correct. The couple was just like that.

“Huh. Interesting. They picked quite the date. That movie star, Claudia Walken is marrying sometime this weekend too. It’s all very hush-hush. Nobody knows exactly where and when.”

“Yeah I read about it. Interesting coincidence isn’t it?”

Claudia was now thirty-four, and appeared with the same woman for many years now. Rumour said it they had been dating for twenty years… Carlos, although he didn’t know all details, he knew this to be more complicated than the press would have thought.

Then again, things usually are.

...yes. Obviously, Carlos was invited to her wedding.

By the time Carlos met her, Claudia was already a teenager, and very popular, and Carlos just a small boy, but the movie star always let him trail behind her and amused him with stories of her family when she came to visit. And of course, she was very friendly with Carlos’ father…

...oh, yes. Carlos’ father.

Carlos just sighed, leaning back.

That won’t be an easy discussion.

“Damn. Sorry kid, traffic is crazy.”

“Don’t even worry about it - I’m not that far, I’ll go by foot from here, thanks.”

He paid the full amount, and tipped generously before climbing out from the cab, and continuing down on the sidewalk on the streets he grew up in.

He knew he was born in Spain, but his memories of that country were very hazy, and it was not even sure whether they were real memories, or some things he wanted to remember, or just imagined them. He was just five when he got here - so New York was the only hometown he consciously remembered.

“Hey, hey Isaac! Look, isn’t that Carlos? Little Carlos?”

“Heaven’s sake Miria, you are right! Little Carlos all grown up! Hey Carlos! Carlos!”

Hearing the familiar voices, Carlos stopped, and looked to the other side of the road, smiling.

Isaac and Miria looked as… unique as ever. Miria was wearing a tuxedo, and Isaac was wearing a long, peach-coloured bridesmaid’s dress. A dress he almost fell into his face in, as they crossed the road to run over to Carlos, not even paying attention to the traffic.

“Hey guys. You look great.”

“Hey there Carlos! You came to the wedding! We told Randy and Pecho you’d come isn’t that right, Miria?”

“That’s right Isaac! They were so sure you would not come, because you are busy on murder island. Murder island, they called it!”

“Tell us, Carlos, are you really on murder island? Is that the island of Dr Moreau?”

“Were you almost eaten by hybrid animals?”

“By Frankenstein’s monster?”

“Or a werewolf?”

Carlos couldn’t hold back a little laughter on the duo’s rapid questions.

“Oh no… I think murder island is a bit overdoing it” he said, amused. “And no, no monsters. Well…” he stopped, hesitating, thinking of Kanashima, who was already dead, and Yunlong, who was not yet dead. “Not animal-like monsters.”

The duo hummed, looking at Carlos, as if checking if he himself did not turn into a monster yet either - and then Miria froze.

“Isaac! I have terrible news! I think some terrible monster did bite Carlos!”

“Oh no! Was it a vampire!”

“Or a bat!”

“Or a bat-leech hybrid!”

Carlos pressed his hand to his neck where Miria was staring, and he felt his face heat up.

“No, no, it… it was just my boyfriend. Well. One of them. And he’s not… any of those things.”

Isaac and Miria both squinted, leaning forwards, humming disapprovingly.

“One of them, he says…”

“How many boyfriends do you have, Carlos?”

“Um… two…?” Carlos had no idea why did he say that like a question. Probably because of the glare of the duo.

“Two boyfriends! Scandal!”

“Our little Carlos had turned into a heartbreaker!”

“Plays with innocent boys’ hearts!”

“So heartless!”

“So cruel!”

“We failed in helping to raise him properly!”

“We are such failures! We need to do something to atone for this!”

“No.. guys, guys!” Carlos waved his arms, panicking. “I’m not… they know about it, okay? They are okay with it.”

The two of them blinked, again, then shared a look.

“Dating two of them!”

“Right! Like Percy Shelley dated both Mary and Lord Byron!”

“Right! So not a heartbreaker!”

“We did not fail after all!”

Carlos just watched, amused as the duo hugged each other, releaved.

He decided that he would not ask about Percy Shelley dating Lord Byron.

Instead, the three of them made their way towards the Alveare, and while Isaac and Miria chattered about the wedding preparations, Carlos’ thoughts flew back towards the island…

-

-

“Nice hickey.”

Carlos touched his neck reflexively.

“...right. I came to say bye. I’ll be off the island for a few days.”

Sherlock nodded without a word, just aknowledging it - they were in one of the suites of the Grand Ibis Hotel, where the Liverpools were still staying.

“Still no luck in finding a new apartement? I mean don’t get me wrong, this is fancy and all, but the guards barely wanted to let me in.”

“No” Sherlock answered finally. He had new glasses now, and was more often seen moving around. But the cut on his face, and his still stiff movements reminded everyone that he did not get away unscratched. “I think no landlord wants to take us in until Yunlong is dealt with. Nobody wants to risk being set on fire, and I sort of get it.”

Carlos was half-tempted to offer moving into the Eastern District again, but then just swallowed it. They had been through that talk many times before. Charlotte was with Lilei, so Charlotte stayed here. And Sherlock stayed wherever his sister was, it was made very clear to Carlos. Who wondered that if Sherlock had asked, then maybe Charlotte would also move to the East - then again, Sherlock would not ask.

This is how it was, so if Carlos wanted to see his boyfriend, he wanted to come over to the Western headquarters, giving up his guns at the entrance (he still had two hidden in his boots, he wasn’t completely trusting, come on), and walk up to their suite. And try to avoid taking out his hidden guns whenever he saw Lihuang.

The temptation was still there.

But now, he just reached forward, gently touching Sherlock’s face, and turning his head, making him look at him.

“Sherlock. What’s wrong?”

At that, Sherlock just laughed bitterly.

“Where to start?! Everything we had, it burnt in the fire. We have nothing, but the clothes we wore that day, and mine even got ruined. I’m currently wearing the clothes you leant to me, and Charlotte is usually wearing Lilei’s.”

“...if that makes it anything better, I think you look great in my clothes.”

“...great. Thank you. That makes it so much better” Sherlock sighed in frustration. “The guy responsible is still around, but nobody knows where. Not the Ei family, not you, not anyone. And…”

Sherlock’s eyes obviously flickered to the hickey on Carlos’ neck, before quickly turning away, and not finishing the sentence.

Carlos felt his stomach drop, as he let go of Sherlock’s face.

“Sherlock… are you… bothered by Gitarin and I?”

His words were slow, and unsure - what if he said yes? What would he do?

Would he have to… choose?

Could he choose?

Sherlock just sighed again.

“It’s not that… I mean. Yeah, I do sometimes feel weird that your other boyfriend is a leader of one of the big organizations of the island, but, that’s not that. It’s more like… a reminder.”

“...a reminder? I’m sorry, but I think you lost me.”

“Carlos, you did not see how I look like...” Sherlock’s voice became unexpectedly heavy, as he fixed his gaze on the ceiling. “How I look like without my shirt. By the time you got there to visit me, I was already bandaged up and Carlos, it is… well. Let’s just say, I don’t think I’ll be comfortable enough anytime soon to take my shirt off around you. There, I said it. I don’t think I could give you whatever would you need from this relationship.”

Sherlock’s voice was full of resignation, and Carlos’ heart grew heavier and heavier.

Sherlock was sure he got so fucked up, that Carlos would leave him.

Fucking hell, shooting Yunlong in the head was too good of a death.

Carlos reached out with both hands, taking Sherlock’s face between his hands, and just leaned forward, kissing him gently.

It was a soft kiss, meant to be reassuring, and his own heart felt a bit better when he felt Sherlock relax against his touch, and returning the kiss.

“What I need from this relationship is you to be comfortable. Got it?” Carlos waited until Sherlock nodded, and then just smiled. “Alright. Did anyone ever teach you how to cheat in card games without getting caught?”

Sherlock was not good at cheating, but by the end of it, he was smiling, and that was more than enough.

-

-

He knew the Alveare was once a Speakeasy - now it was just a semi-popular restaurant (there were other, more popular locations across the country), which was closed down for the weekend. Because of a certain event.

“Look Seina, who did we bring!”

“The prodigious son returns!”

“Hey, Isaac, isn’t that supposed to be prodigal!”

“You are absolutely right, Miria! Although Carlos is not prodigal! Therefore can’t be called that!”

“I see! You are so smart, Isaac!”

Carlos was still smiling, when Seina looked at him.

“Look at that. You can show your face back home, as I see. I was wondering if you had lost our address.”

“Would never do that, Seina.”

“Could have fooled me. Now get yourself inside.”

So he did.

“Hey look, who decided to show his face around here.”

“Here we thought you had gotten yourself too swept up in the chaos of that island.”

“Maybe it isn’t even that bad, the rumours just gotten bad.”

“I’m fairly sure it is as bad… well, no matter. You seem to manage.”

There were hands shaking his hands, other hands patting his back, even enthusiastic hugs here and there, and Carlos couldn’t wipe the smile off his face.

Not much had changed here, everyone was just as enthusiastic as the last time he had seen them. There were some new faces, younger associates, but most of the faces were the same…

Then again, in their situation it was hard to _change,_ wasn’t it.

It didn’t take long for a blonde hurricane to appear, and throw her arms around him.

“You came! You actually came! When we didn’t hear you call back, we were almost sure you will not come. I’m so glad you are here, Carlos! Why didn’t you call back?”

“Ah… sorry. Recently it had been… even more hectic than usual. Sorry, Illness.”

The woman pulled back, and smiled.

She looked younger than her age, she still had dark circles around her eyes - when Carlos was around thirteen, he asked about her past, and she told her everything. About SAMPLE, about the Mask Makers.

Carlos had nightmares for a month.

But now she was here, she was smiling, and happy, her dress beautiful.

“You look gorgeous, Illness. Shame you marry someone else.”

Illness giggled, blushing a little.

“Oh, you. I still remember that silly little crush you had on me!”

“Had? Mi querida, a piece of my heart will always belong to you. Inside I’m still that small six-year-old, who had a crush on you.”

“Carlos, no!”

“Carlos, stop hitting on the bride!”

“Didn’t you tell us that you have two boyfriends! Isaac, I think he had fooled us! He is a heartbreaker, after all!”

“Fiend! Fiend!”

Carlos just laughed, not even looking at the duo, and just kissed Illness’ blushing cheek.

“I can’t believe it took this look for you two to get married. Ever since I had known you, you two had been in love.”

Illness smiled.

“Thank you. Boyfriends, though? Why didn’t you bring them to introduce them?”

“...it’s a bit complicated.”

-

“Your boss? Really? You are dating your boss?”

“...you know, being judged by someone who doesn’t even look ten, it still feels weird.”

Czeslaw raised his eyebrows, leaning on the table.

“I think that’s a tad bit unprofessional.”

“Well. I’m not sure how serious is it either way.”

“Oh?”

“But I’m not gonna tell you” Carlos pointed at Czes. “You are worse than a gossipy old lady. You gossipy old man.”

“Show some respect to your elders, Carlos.”

-

“Oh no. Oh, no. You do not get to judge me. You took fifty years to confess to her. No way.”

Firo looked a bit annoyed, putting his hands to his hips.

“Well. At least I knew how _I_ felt. And not like I could run out of time, now could I.”

Carlos couldn’t argue with that, and just leant back.

“Yeah. Whatever. It is complicated, Uncle Firo, and we are here for a wedding, not for my personal drama.”

The older he got, the weirder it was, calling him Uncle Firo, but he just could not drop that habit. Also, he had the feeling that calling him such did help Firo’s self-esteem a little, as so few people treated Firo like his age, so why not?

He now looked older than Firo ever will, and sometimes Carlos could forget that how older he actually was.

“You know… I only met Gitarin when it came to money agreements, and even those were through video calls, but I had met his type a lot.”

Carlos chuckled a little.

“Oh right. I know you are old, Uncle Firo, but I doubt that.”

“Obviously not _exactly_ like him. But during that time I lived on the streets…” he was quiet for a few momets. “People like that. Charming, to get what they want. Playing themselves dumber than they actually were, and then moving the pieces to their whim. I might not be the smartest person in the room, but I know how to survive people like that. Gitarin is the same. But I suppose you know that.”

“Yeah. He’s not nearly as stupid as he looks.”

He felt a bitter taste in his mouth, and Firo’s words sneaked into his head.

“I mean. I dunno. I don’t really know him. The way I know him is strictly buisness. And I know you can take care of yourself. Just… be careful, okay? Try not to have any regrets, that’s what I’m saying.”

Carlos sighed, looking away, trying to push the thoughts out from his head.

“Anyways. Nice shades.”

He glanced down at his blue shades that were sticking out from the breast pocket of his coat. He tugged it further in.

“The same style that the DJ of the island wears.”

“I’m sure it is.”

“...by the way, where is _he_?”

“Doing some last-minute shopping with Carnea and Bobby. Especially as she could go into labour any day, so.”

“Right.”

Carlos really tried to ignore the bitter taste in his mouth.

-

He ended up going outside to catch his breath in the back alley.

“I knew you would come!”

He looked up, and saw the figure - it was definitely a woman, but really weird looking - with a long coat, a big brimmed hat, and huge glasses hiding her face. And red hair sticking out from under the big brimmed hat.

“Hey there, Claudia. Wouldn’t miss it.”

“Aw. You recognized me. Oh well.”

The movie star twirled around before walking up closer to Carlos.

“Although I am disappointed you did not bring your boyfriends.”

“...how do you even know about that?”

Claudia pulled out her phone, waving it a little.

“Charon kept me updated.”

“...I didn’t even see Charon inside.”

To be fair, Charon was always better hiding in the crowds, so that was not news. Claudia did not stop smiling.

“Anyways. All Charon told me that it’s complicated. Why didn’t you bring them?”

“One of them is the one of the rulers of the island, and I can’t take him out of there, without giving the other side an opening to potentially take over. The other one…” Carlos swallowed a little. “He… had an injury recently. He’s still in recovery.”

“Oh! I see. Well, I hope he gets better soon.”

Carlos smiled.

“Yeah, me too. I’m… still confused about this whole relationship, but… I’m trying to figure it out.”

“Oh, well. If great-grandpa Felix would be still alive, he’d tell you to propose to them.”

“You took your sweet time with proposing to Illness as well.”

“Oh, actually I proposed as soon as I turned eighteen. We just waited.”

“For what?”

Now it was Claudia’s turn to smile, before she walked towards the back door.

“For the right time.

He did not ask for clarification, but he did speak again, when she opened up the door.

“Hey Claudia? Thanks.”

“Hm? For what?”

“Apart from Isaac and Miria you were the only one who thought I would come.”

Claudia smiled, her radiant smile that made people all around the world fall in love with her.

“Of course you did. I wanted you to come, and it is my world, isn’t it?”

-

The next time the door opened, it was someone Carlos really did not look forward to seeing. Someone with long, blonde hair, bright blue eyes and obviously heavily pregnant.

“Found you, Carlos.”

“Hi, Carnea.”

She walked outside, her hands folded behind her back.

“So… are you doing alright?”

“Yeah. Shouldn’t you be resting, though?”

“Oh, I’m actually doing well. Everyone is overreacting, I still have a month left. I don’t suppose you’ll come to visit when the baby is born, right?”

“...I am really busy, Carnea. It’s a miracle I could get away right now.”

It was an easy lie.

He knew Gitarin would let him go, there were enough members in the Guard Team to let him on a leave more often, if he wanted. Sure not to unreasonable levels, but still.

But the lie was easier.

The door opened, and another figure walked out.

“...oh. I should get back inside, Bobby is probably having a heart attack. The later I am in with my pregnancy, the more freaked out he gets. I swear he believes that as soon as I’m gone from his eyesight, the baby might pop out. Later!”

And with that, Carnea disappeared through the back door, leaving Carlos alone with the newcomer.

“Hello, Carlos.”

Carlos smiled a little, a very small smile without any amusement in it.

“Hi, dad.

-

“So how’s life on the island?”

“You probably heard the rumours. Trashy, messy, and full of dead people.”

“Some of them you yourself make dead, I suppose.”

“Part of my job. Not like you have any place to judge me on that front.”

It was silence between them - New York was still fast moving over the small back alley, and the restaurant itself started to get livelier and livelier by the minute, judging from the sounds.

“I’m not judging.”

“Of course you are not” Carlos’ smile did not disappear, and neither did the bitter taste in his mouth.

“...I suppose there’s no chance of you to give it up, is there?”

“Nope.”

Silence again.

“Carlos…”

“Look, even if I wanted to give up the island, let’s entertain this notion a little bit… but even if I wanted, what would happen? I would be called back. Someone else would have to be sent there, because the family wants someone to be there. They don’t trust Gitarin, they don’t trust the executives. So they want someone there. Who would go. You?” Carlos snorted. “We both know you wouldn’t.”

Angelo just looked at him in silence before talking again.

“You are calling your boss by his name.”

“Actually I call him whatever name he thinks up daily. He seems to enjoy it. But you would not understand who am I referring to if I changed his names as much as he changes them himself.”

Silence again - Carlos was so used to it. All these years, some things never change. So he just pushed himself away from the wall, and started to head inside.

“Carlos.”

He stopped, and looked back over his shoulder. His father’s face was full of… what? Regret? Helplessness? Desperation? Somewhere along those lines. And he just sighed.

“You know, dad, originally I did start to learn how to shoot, because I wanted you to be happy. It’s not like that anymore, though. I do this because I’m damn good at what I do, and because I like living on that floating trash dump.”

“You are not immortal.”

“No shit, I learnt that when I accidentally shot myself in the foot when I was twelve. I know that. And you know, dad, I’d much rather die out there, fighting, than to sit here and… whatever. I’m going inside.”

And so he did.

-

_I would much rather die out there, fighting, than to sit here and be second place. I took that job, because I wished that once, just once in your goddamned life you would pick me over Carnea. You picked her when I was a child. After mom died, you still picked her. You could have left her in the care of the Martillos, they would have taken care of her, but no, instead you brought me here. Brought me here, and expected me to not fall into this life? Seriously, dad. When the job around Etsusa Bridge came up, it was supposed to be you who went there, but you didn’t want to leave Carnea, despite her being an adult at that point. Because of that goddamned misplaced loyality. So I took the job. And you let me leave._

-

He knew he wasn’t completely… he knew his dad wasn’t malicious. It started out as duty, but as he spent more time with Carnea, he developed a bond with her. Like father and daughter. He was missing his child he didn’t even meet until that point. And Carnea missed her family. It was natural.

And it wasn’t like Angelo was a _bad_ father. Carlos had a lot of fond memories with him. Despite his disapproval, he still taught Carlos most things he knows about guns, when it was clear that his son had a very serious interest in them. Rather learn them from him than on his own, than to shoot himself in the foot. Well, that still happened, but that was a valuable lesson in gun safety, as Carlos would say years later.

Also it wasn’t hard to forget that you don’t heal when you are surrounded by people who do.

Angelo wasn’t a bad father.

And it certainly wasn’t Carnea’s fault.

Carlos just wished the bitter taste would be gone from his mouth.

-

The wedding was great. Claudia and Illness were both radiant, and Carlos ended up dancing with both of them during the night.

One of the wedding boquets ended up in Ronny’s lap, the other ended up with one of the younger members Carlos didn’t meet before.

Then he took a deep breath and walked up to Carnea.

“So. Are you good to dance or will your husband get a heart attack?”

Carnea looked surprised, but then giggled, and took Carlos’ hand.

“He might. It doesn’t mean we shouldn’t.”

Bobby did almost get a heart attack, by the way.

-

He ended up sleeping in one of the back rooms of the Alveare, and next morning, when most people were still knocked out from the party, he was walking through the debris that was supposed to be the restaurant.

“Sneaking out when everyone’s sleeping?”

He stopped and looked at Ronny, who was sitting at one of the tables, playing with some matchsticks. Carlos hoped he would not set fire to the restaurant.

Not like he had ever seen Ronny set fire to anything. He was just that kind of a guy who you can imagine being capable of _anything._

“I really need to get back to my job.”

“Your boss has a Guard Team to look after him. And for the other boy you are worried about, the way I picked up, he isn’t undefended either, is he? Well, no matter. If you want to leave, leave. I’m just saying, that you should have better excuses to go without even saying goodbye.”

Carlos sighed, putting his hands into his pockets.

“I’m not good at goodbyes.”

“You don’t have to be. But who knows when will you come back next.”

Carlos walked over, and just sat down in front of Ronny.

“Yeah. I guess you are right. So. Aren’t you gonna give me an advice on my boyfriends? Half of the Alveare last night seemed to become a relationship expert lately.”

He was joking, but Ronny hummed, while starting to put out patterns from the matchsticks.

“Talk with them.”

“...I do talk with them a lot…?”

“No, I mean. Your issues. Your doubts. Ask them about their possible issues and doubts. I’m not the world’s leading expert of relationships, but from what I know, that seems to be the key. Well, no matter. That’s all I can really say.”

Of course. It was very easy to say, though.

“You say that. You know, there are rumours one of my boyfriends is a demon. You try to get a straight answer out from him.”

Ronny looked quite amused by that.

“People love to label things that they don’t understand _demons._ But if you are dating him, you should learn how to ask questions, shouldn’t you? Well, no matter.”

“You know, when you keep saying well, no matter, people might just disregard your advice.”

Ronny was still smiling.

“If you do… well, no matter. But maybe it would be better to talk it out with him, instead of having others’ experiences with completely unrelated people sneak into your head, isn’t that right?”

For Carlos, it took a few seconds to remember what Ronny meant.

“Oh… you heard what Firo said?”

Ronny shrugged.

“Thing is, Firo’s life if Firo’s. Your life is yours. And Gitarin is Gitarin. From the things I gathered, all of you might have some issues. And from what I heard, a realtionship can only work, if you all work through it. But no matter. It is your life, as I said.”

Carlos looked away, especially as the back door opened, and a grumpy Carnea stumbled out, complaining about her back, and whether the baby would be kind enough already to get out of her.

“Talking to them, huh.”

-

He did not forget Sherlock’s words about feeling weird about Carlos’ other boyfriend being the ruler of the East.

He could not forget Firo’s warning, even though he was sure Gitarin was not like that…

...was he sure?

There was he again, doubting himself.

He just leant back and smiled, when more and more people emerged, and people started making coffee.

He is gonna go back today, he was sure of it. But maybe just a bit later.

And for when he’ll talk with them… well.

He can’t exactly sit them down and force them to face things while the island was in an unrest. He’ll deal with his romantic problems once Yunlong was fucking dead.

Yeah.

That sounded like a plan.

**Author's Note:**

> I don't even know what am I even doing anymore, I just wish they would just TALK ABOUT IT, holy shit.
> 
> Also I planned these to be just oneshots about bad flirting and romcom-like shenanigans and misunderstanding WHAT IS EVEN GOING ON ANYMORE.
> 
> Also, Yen Press might make me call him Ronny, but I will never give up "well, no matter".

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [send off](https://archiveofourown.org/works/9320030) by [WattStalf](https://archiveofourown.org/users/WattStalf/pseuds/WattStalf)




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